Report: Islamic State abducts more than 300 factory workers

More than 300 workers have been abducted by the Islamic State terrorist militia from a cement factory near Damascus, Syria's official news agency SANA reported on Thursday.

The abduction was confirmed by managers of the factory located near the town of al-Dumeir outside Damascus, SANA reported, citing an unnamed official at the Syrian Industry Ministry.

"The company informed the ministry that it has not been able so far to communicate with any of the abductees," SANA quoted the official as saying.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on a network of activists inside Syria, earlier said that 150 to 250 workers had gone missing since Islamic State launched an attack on the factory on Tuesday.

Beirut (dpa) - Syrian government forces and their allies advanced deeper into the shrinking rebel-held enclave in eastern Aleppo on Wednesday, seizing the Old City, while demanding the armed opposition groups leave the area.